


I Won't Say I'm In Love

by IWriteSinsNotStraightLines



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, The Hale Pack - Freeform, oblivious idiots in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:08:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24713623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWriteSinsNotStraightLines/pseuds/IWriteSinsNotStraightLines
Summary: He wasn’t willing to risk Stiles for his own selfish feelings.He refused.“Because I’d break him,” Derek answered finally, taking a sip of his tea.Erica smirked a little, “He’d be into that.”Derek snorted, and rolled his eyes.He probably would be.
Relationships: Allison Argent/Scott McCall, Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Vernon Boyd/Isaac Lahey/Erica Reyes
Comments: 12
Kudos: 308





	I Won't Say I'm In Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, everybody! This is pure, unfiltered Sterek fluff. It's been a week, and so this was just as much a comfort me as I hope it is for all of you lovelies.  
> The title comes from the movie Hercules.

“Why aren’t you dating him?” Erica asked one day after she’d caught Derek checking Stiles out. 

Again. 

She idly stirred her coffee with a spoon, her hair tied up in a messy bun and her face free of makeup. She was wearing one of Isaac’s sweaters and a pair of Boyd’s boxers, looking soft and at ease. 

The alpha in Derek snuffled happily-- obviously overjoyed that his beta felt comfortable in the pack’s den to drop her defensive outward appearance and biting attitude. 

“You know he likes you, right?” She yawned. 

Derek shrugged, keeping his face indifferent. 

He wasn’t blind or stupid. He knew Stiles thought he was good-looking. He could see when he fixated on Derek’s eyes or shoulders or hands. It made his wolf trot around smugly behind his ribs and his heart race-- of course he knew it was happening. 

However, he also was aware of his own history with love and relationships. Derek had a pathetically horrible track record. He hurt people. He got hurt. 

He wasn’t willing to risk Stiles for his own selfish feelings. 

He _refused_. 

“Because I’d break him,” Derek answered finally, taking a sip of his tea. 

Erica smirked a little, “He’d be into that.” 

Derek snorted, and rolled his eyes.

He probably would be. 

Erica gave him a thoughtful look, tapping her nails across her coffee mug. 

It was one Stiles has gotten her— a hot pink monstrosity with ‘ _goest and fucketh thyself’_ stamped across it in black cursive. It was easily one of Erica’s favorite things in the house, and she’d used it pretty much every day since he gave it to her. 

Warmth filled his chest when he thought of how well Stiles took care of the pack, took care of the betas, took care of him. 

Erica sighed, and dumped the rest of her coffee into her mouth. 

Classy. 

“Look, Derek. I _know_ you’ve got the whole self-loathing thing down to a science, and you’re afraid of hurting him. I know that, and I know why. But I also know that you won’t. I’ve seen how you are around him, and I’ve seen him around you. And, y’know, you’re _allowed_ to be happy. Both of you are.” 

She pressed a sleepy kiss to his cheek and patted his shoulder before making her way back to her room, where he knew she would do homework in bed next to Isaac and Boyd. Her boyfriends always woke up late on Saturdays, and today was no different. 

Derek swirled his tea around pensively in his cup. 

***

Stiles could feel Derek’s gaze burning into the skin of his back, and he swallowed against the sudden dryness in his mouth. 

Allison had smirked before spraying him with the hose- apparently her aim was perfect with more than just arrows- and drenched his shirt. He’d stripped it off, and shook it out, squawking loudly about it being cold. 

And now Derek was watching. 

Scott grinned at him, obviously able to see the alpha over his shoulder. 

He waggled his eyebrows at Stiles while Allison snickered behind him, wrapping her arms around Scott’s waist and hooking her chin over his shoulder to smile sunnily at Stiles. 

“Dude, you should totally tap that,” Scott whispered to him. 

There wasn’t a point in whispering. 

Derek could hear them, judging the loud thud of something being dropped and the muttered curses. 

Stiles rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue, “As if I’d ever take relationship advice from you two. I do remember sophomore year, y’know.” 

Allison grinned and kissed Scott’s cheek before leaving to help Derek. 

Scott's expression- which had been goofy and sappy from Allison- turned serious. 

“Seriously, dude. You two are like painfully gone on each other. Why don’t you ask him out? We’re not in high school anymore, it’s okay.” 

Stiles frowned, “Scotty, everyone he’s been a serious relationship with has either used him or left him. I wouldn’t blame him if he never wanted to date again. I mean, if I was him, I’m not sure I would after everything he’s been through, you know?” 

Scott gave him a look, “You’re not like them, Stiles. You’re not Kate, or Jennifer. You wouldn’t hurt him.” 

“Of course, I wouldn’t. But that doesn’t mean he’d be willing to try. If friendship is all I can get from him, I’ll take it. I’ll be the best damn friend he’s ever had. I’m not going to push him, Scott. He doesn’t deserve that.” 

Scott smiled, a small, thoughtless thing. 

“But that’s why you’d be good for him, dude. You love him.” 

He does. 

“And it doesn’t hurt that he’d spontaneously combust if he stared at your ass any harder,” Scott grinned. 

Stiles rolled his eyes and shoved him, turning to go inside and steal one of Derek’s shirts. 

He told himself they were the only ones that would fit, and ignored the way his pulse raced when he saw Derek’s eyes flash as he walked out in one of his t-shirts. 

It must’ve been a trick of the light. 

***

One afternoon, the pack sat easily in the living room of the den. 

Lydia and Allison sat on the love-seat together while Scott sat on the floor between Allison’s legs, her hands in his thick hair. Lydia’s head was on Allison’s shoulder, focused on the movie. 

Erica, Boyd and Isaac were on the couch, sprawled together. Isaac was asleep with his head in Erica’s lap, facing away from the TV with his nose in her shirt. She had one of her legs slung over Boyd’s and he had his arm around her shoulders. Erica’s attention was divided between Isaac’s fluffy curls and the television, and Boyd was enthralled with his partners. 

Derek was settled in his chair, looking more calm and edgeless than he’d been in years. Stiles sat on the floor by his legs, dozing off with his head slumping against Derek’s thigh. 

At some point, Derek’s hand had found its way to the nape of Stiles’ neck and his thumb was rubbing over the skin in soothing circles. 

Stiles could feel the peace of it all sink into his bones, his eyes falling shut as his battled off sleep. 

He missed Lydia appraising them with a cool, calculating gaze. 

“Alright, that’s it,” she said finally, standing and turning the TV off. 

Isaac rose his head sleepily, yawning. The rest of the pack looked at her quizzically, except Boyd, who simply raised an eyebrow. 

“I’m done with you two dancing around each other,” she pointed at Derek and Stiles. “You’re going to go, and you’re going to talk out whatever the hell is between you. _Now_.” 

Stiles sighed, knowing that she wasn’t going to let up, and grabbed Derek’s wrist, dragging him to his room. 

Derek sat on his bed, his face a blank mask- which Stiles _hated_ and hadn’t seen since they were younger- as he crossed his arms and waited in silence. 

Stiles began to pace in front of his, pulling at his fingers. He was trying and failing to figure out what he wanted to say. 

Leave it to Derek to be the only one who could render Stiles’ completely speechless, without words jumping off his tongue. 

Derek watched him. 

“Okay, look,” Stiles finally started. “I know you’re not dumb, alright? I know that you know how I feel about you. I’m sure you could _smell_ it, even if I was being subtle.” 

Derek tilted his head, considering. 

“Don’t give me that look-- you know you’re pretty. And it’s not just that, either. It’s _you_ , and the way you care for the pack, and refuse to dog-ear your books. It’s you, being sarcastic as fuck but still an adorable dork. It does something for me; all of it does. But I’m not going to push you into _anything_ , Derek. You’ve been screwed over by too many people and I _refuse_ to be another person that you regret trusting, alright? I won’t be. And if that means we never end up as more than friends, or if you don’t want me to talk to you after this conversation, so be it. I’m going to do whatever makes you _happy_ , Der. Because you _deserve to be happy_.” 

Derek had risen from the bed, and took Stiles’ shaking hands in his own. 

“Whatever makes me happy?” 

Stiles nodded, setting his jaw stubbornly. 

“Kiss me?” 

Stiles’ eyes widened as his gaze fell to Derek’s mouth. 

He looked back up at his eyes- searching for any sign of regret, fear, discomfort, _anything_ that told him he shouldn’t do it- and licked his lips before leaning forward and gently claiming Derek’s mouth. 

The kiss was sweet as sugar, and chaste, making Stiles’ blood simmer. 

Derek eventually took control of it, nipping at Stiles’ lips and kissing him hard enough to bruise. 

Stiles pulled away for a breath, his forehead meeting Derek’s. They shared their breaths, panting into the space between them. 

“ _You_ make me happy, Stiles. I didn’t want to say anything because I _hurt_ the people I love. I’m not good for you,” Derek murmured, closing his eyes. 

Stiles glared for all he was worth, “No, you _don’t_. Yeah, you’ve made mistakes. But so has everyone! You- you can’t let your guilt from your past keep you from your future, Der. I’m not going to _let you_. I’ll tell you every day if I have to.” 

Derek cracked his eyes open to look at him, “Every day?” 

Stiles swallowed and nodded, “If you want me to?” 

Derek smiled- small and honest- and whispered, “Every day,” against Stiles’ lips like a prayer. 

Which is, of course, when they heard Erica yell “ _Y’all fuckers owe me fifty bucks_!” from downstairs. 

Stiles backed away enough to face palm, “We need new friends.” 

Derek huffed, and used his grip on Stiles’ hips to tug him back into his arms.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed. Stay safe and stay healthy, everyone. Comments and kudos are always appreciated! Until next time!  
> \- Sins 
> 
> Find my Tumblr at: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/iwritesinsnotstraightlines


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